The present invention relates to installing printheads in a hardcopy apparatus. In particular the present invention relates to preparing for use one or more replacement printheads in a printer.
When a hardcopy apparatus is in use, it may become necessary to replace a printhead. This may be due to a printhead cartridge running out of ink. Alternatively, it may be due to the printhead becoming defective, for example the number of blocked nozzles has exceeded a predetermined number.
With conventional hardcopy apparatus, when it is necessary to replace a printhead, the existing printhead is removed, the replacement printhead is inserted and then specific routines are undertaken to ensure that the printhead will operate satisfactorily in the apparatus.
Specific examples of these routines are:
Routines to determine whether the printhead has been used before;
Energy routines to determine the electrical characteristics of the printhead and modify the signal to the printhead to ensure optimal performance;
Start-up routines to ensure that all nozzles are firing and that they are firing correctly.
Routines to ensure nozzle alignment with the other printheads;
Routines to ensure color calibration with the other printheads.
The time during which these routines are undertaken represents downtime for the hardcopy apparatus. For example, for large format printers and industrial printers the downtime can amount to as long as twenty minutes. Thus printhead replacement is a costly exercise for the user, especially for expensive industrial hardcopy apparatus and hardcopy apparatus subject to heavy use.
Failure to perform the above routines causes a reduction in print quality.
Certain aspects of the present invention seek to overcome or reduce the above problems.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of installing at least one printhead in a hardcopy apparatus, wherein said printhead is subjected to a calibration and/or start up procedure before it is installed in the hardcopy apparatus.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of installing a plurality of printheads in a hardcopy apparatus, wherein the printheads are subjected to a calibration procedure relative to each other before they are inserted in the hardcopy apparatus.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of installing a carriage with one or more printheads mounted in said carriage in a hardcopy apparatus, wherein the printheads mounted in said carriage are subjected to a calibration procedure before the carriage is installed in the hardcopy apparatus.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for calibrating at least one printhead for a hardcopy apparatus, said device including a memory and means for subjecting said printhead to a calibration process, said calibration process producing calibration information, said calibration information being stored in said memory.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for calibrating at least one printhead for a hardcopy apparatus, said system comprising a device including means for subjecting said printhead to a calibration process, said calibration process producing calibration information, and said system further including an external device, said external device including a memory, said calibration information being stored in said memory.
According to a sixth aspect of the invention, there is provided a system for calibrating at least one printhead, said system comprising a device including means for subjecting said printhead to a calibration process, said calibration process producing calibration information, and said system further including a hardcopy apparatus suitable for receiving said printhead, said hardcopy apparatus including a memory, said calibration information being stored in said memory.
According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a device for calibrating one or more printheads for a hardcopy apparatus, said device including means for receiving a carriage with said printhead(s) mounted therein, a memory, and means for subjecting the printhead(s) mounted in said carriage to a calibration procedure, said procedure producing calibration information, said calibration information being stored in said memory.